Good Morning! Well, no matter what time it is where you're at, its always Saturday morning at The Saturday Show. This is your one-stop shop for all things TSS (that's The Saturday Show for all you acronym decoders).
Did you see a recipe on the show that you'd like to try? Are you stewing with excitement over that super awesome craft? Were you interested in finding out more about a book we featured? Well you'll be able to find written instructions for recipes and crafts, and catalog links to some of your favorite media here on The Saturday Show's web page.
Thanks for watching Season 4 of The Saturday Show! Stay tuned to the AADL.ORG calendar for more exciting TSS news!
The Saturday Show - The Album!
The most anticipated record release of the year is here! We've collected all of The Saturday Show's original music and made them available for download. Check out The Saturday Show - The Album for your Season 1 favorites including "I'm a Turtle", "Otto's Rap" and "Imagination", and take a look at The Saturday Show - The Album, Part 2 for your Season 2 favorites such as "Homes", "I've Frequented Many Places, Ya See!" and "I Love the Rain". Happy listening!
The Saturday Show Mailbag
Do you LOVE The Saturday Show? Have you ever wished you could write in to the show or interact with your favorite characters? Now introducing The Saturday Show Mailbag! Just email us at tss@aadl.org with your:
- Letters to The Saturday Show (or pictures of handwritten letters)
- Questions for Toby, Otto, Kashi, Christopher or anyone else on the Saturday Show
- Pictures or videos of activities you've seen on The Saturday Show and tried out for yourself!
Or anything else you'd like to send us! Hope to hear from you soon :)
Easily navigate to website information for Season One | Season Two | Season Three
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Season 4: Episode 7 - Dreams!
Airdate: May 28, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: Join the TSS Crew as they take a look at all things Dreams! Can Bernice achieve her dreams of travel? What do puppies dream of? Good dreams, bad dreams, day dreams, and much more on this episode of The Saturday Show!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi woke up from a great nap! Kashi had a dream that she had a pet dinosaur and was riding it, while Christopher had a dream that he was riding his bike through a beautiful field of miracles. The Word of the Day was 'circadian clock', which is a natural process inside your body that helps you know when to sleep and eat. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 11 letters
- Clue 2: It's a famous English playwright's last name
- Clue 3: They wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Dreams
The TSS Crew shared their dreams with us on this week's episode. What do you dream of? For more fun stories about dreams, check out The Saturday Show: Dreams public list.
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Season 4: Episode 6 - Time!
Airdate: May 14, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: Can you believe TSS is turning two years old this month? Otto and Toby take a look back at all we've done, George and Katie wait for their pizza to finish cooking, and Lucy gets another letter from Clarissa.
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi talked about the amazing Astronomical Clock in Prague! The Word of the Day was 'trice', which is a phrase for when you do something very fast. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It means 100 years
- Clue 3: It is related to the word 'cent'
The Kerrytown Chime
Elizabeth and Bernice visited the Kerrytown chime! The Kerrytown chime is an amazing instrument! Originally only 10 bells, 7 additional bells and chimes were created and brought over from the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in the Netherlands in 1998, when the entire instrument was installed in its current location. Along with chiming the time every 15 minutes, the bells can be played by musicians and the public. If you'd like to learn more about the Kerrytown chime, or perhaps even play it yourself, visiting hours for the public are: Wednesdays and Fridays from noon-12:30pm and Saturdays from 10:30-11am.
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Season 4: Episode 5 - Spring!
Airdate: April 30, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: Winter is over! That means it's time for Spring! Katie and Amanda go on a scavenger hunt, Charles and A Shark show off the TSS Spring Collection, and Hazel has spring fever! All that and more on this episode of The Saturday Show.
Word of the Day
Kashi woke Christopher up just in time for the arrival of spring! The Word of the Day was 'germinate', which is when a seed sprouts. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It's the name of a plant that comes up early in the spring (but you don't harvest it until later in fall)
- Clue 3: It has big, broad leaves, but the leaves are not edible. You can eat the stalks with strawberries in a pie!
Spring Cleaning
Toby and Otto began spring cleaning around the house! Spring cleaning is a tradition where humans do a deep clean of their house when spring comes along. You can learn more about spring cleaning with Cork and Fuzz: Spring Cleaning, Poppleton in Spring, and Clifford's Spring Clean-Up. For more stories about spring, check out The Saturday Show: Spring public list.
Spring Scavenger Hunt
Loren and Hazel looked for signs of spring, such as grackles and vernal pools! Amanda and Katie went on a spring scavenger hunt, where they used their senses to find flowers starting to bloom, buds on trees, birds chirping, warm air and animals! You can go on your own spring scavenger hunt too! What signs of spring will you find outside?
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Season 4: Episode 4 - Dinosaurs!
Airdate: April 16, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: The TSS Crew explore all things dinosaurs! Big Fred explores dinosaur myths on a new edition of Plasterfeet Theater, Chicken and Peanut T. Puppy hatch some dino eggs, and we play a prehistoric game show of tyrannosaurus proportions! All that and more on this episode of The Saturday Show!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi played a game of BYOD - Build Your Own Dinosaur! The Word of the Day was 'coprolite', which is fossilized dinosaur poop. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 8 letters
- Clue 2: It's a period of time in prehistory when dinosaurs lived, including famous dinosaurs such as archaeopteryx, stegosaurus, allosaurus, apatosaurus, and brontosaurus
- Clue 3: It's also the name of a famous movie with "Park" in the title
Plasterfeet Theater
Big Fred explained and debunked various dinosaur myths in another awesome episode of Plasterfeet Theater! Would you like to know more facts about dinosaurs? Check out The Saturday Show: Dinosaurs public list! To watch the previous installment of Plasterfeet Theater, watch The Saturday Show: Dinosaurs from Season 1!
Bernice's Great x 1,000 Ancestors
Elizabeth and Bernice were excited to discover that birds are descended from some dinosaurs! They discussed similarities and differences between birds and dinosaurs. For more information take a look at Dinosaur Feathers, Birdlike Dinosaurs: Small Theropods and Prehistoric Birds, Dinosaurs Are Not Extinct, and Monster Fliers: From the Time of the Dinosaurs.
Sue the T. Rex
Katie and Amanda introduced an awesome music video about Sue the T. Rex! Sue is one of the largest, most extensive, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimens ever found. Sue was discovered by Sue Hendrickson, an explorer and fossil collector, and was named after her. You can visit Sue yourself at the Field Museum in Chicago. For more about the story of Sue's discovery, take a look at When Sue Found Sue: Sue Hendrickson Discovers Her T. Rex.
Dinosaur Eggs
Peanut T. Puppy and Chicken hatched some dinosaur eggs and made some new friends along the way! You can make your own fizzing dinosaur eggs at home with this link.
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Season 4: Episode 3 - Communication!
Airdate: April 2, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: Talking, typing, shouting from across the street - there are many ways to communicate. Join the TSS Crew as they explore all things communication! Can you crack A Shark's code? Can flags talk? Can Otto get his note delivered to Toby in time? Tune in to find out!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi demonstrated the McGurk effect - a cool phenomenon involving speech! The Word of the Day was 'larynx', which is the organ in the front of your throat that holds our vocal cords. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's someone's last name
- Clue 3: Sometimes it's called a code and it's made of dots and dashes
Telephone Game
The TSS Crew attempted to communicate via a wacky game of telephone. To learn how to play telephone, take a look at these directions. And for more telephone fun check out the book Telephone by Mac Barnett, in which a string of birds on a telephone wire play a game of telephone, with the usual mixed up results.
Bernice Communicates with Ship Flags
Elizabeth and Bernice communicated using maritime flags! They learned using this book: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie: The Complete Book of Nautical Codes. Today's system of international maritime signal flags was developed in the 19th century, and is still used for communication between ships, or between ship and shore.
Dog Talk
George and Peanut learned about verbal and nonverbal communication at the Treat Town Puppy School! You can learn even more about animal communication with Animal Adapatations: Communication and All About Animal Behavior and Communication.
A Shark Morse Code Message
A Shark and Fauntleroy attempted to communicate using Morse code. You can learn Morse Code too by using Your Introduction to Morse Code or with the Morse Typing Trainer. Decipher the code at the end of their segment to win big Summer Game points!
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Season 4: Episode 2 - Robots and Machines!
Airdate: March 19, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: Everybody loves things that whirr and crank and beepboop all day long, especially Otto. See what happens when Toby and Otto discover a robot and try to identify its' prime directive! Also, an interview with a robot, a complicated machine, and much more!
Word of the Day
Professor Encephalon and Kashi shared their favorite famous robots! The Word of the Day was 'Karel Capek', who was a famous Czech writer who gave the world the word 'robot' from a play he wrote in 1920. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's a simple machine used to pry with
- Clue 3: Archimedes famously said "If you give me a firm place to stand and one of these tools, I could move the world"
Charles' Peanut Crushing Machine
Charles Munk made an amazing Peanut Crushing Machine! Charles' machine resembled a Rube Goldberg machine, which is a chain reaction-type machine or contraption intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way. To find out more about Rube Goldberg and his famous machines, take a look at Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machine. For more inspiration for your own machine, check out Simple Machines, Step-by-Step Experiments with Simple Machines, and The Kids Book of Simple Machines: Cool Projects & Activities That Make Science Fun!
Trains
Elizabeth and Bernice took a trip to the local train station to watch the trains go by! Are you interested in learning more about trains? Try the Trains for Kids public list.
Interview with a Robot
Hazel interviewed Help-O-Lux to find out more about robots! You can learn more about robots too with The Saturday Show: Robots and Machines public list! You may also enjoy the Tinkered Toy Box series of programs on AADL.TV, including How To! BeatBo Robot, The Child, and Dice Roller. Tinkered Toys demonstrates how to add a switch to toys using simple soldering skills.
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Season 4: Episode 1 - Creativity!
Airdate: March 5, 2022
This week on The Saturday Show: We're back for Season 4 and we're diving into a cacophony of creativity! Join all your favorite TSS friends as they jump head-first into movement, writing, art, and much more. Stay tuned to AADL.TV after the show for the premiere of TSS Shorts, where you'll get another shot of creativity to kick off the season.
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi baked delicious cupcakes with letters written in frosting! They used these letters to spell different words together, including Kashi's name! The Word of the Day was 'Sylvia Weinstock', who was a New York baker known as "the Da Vinci of wedding cakes". She was extremely creative and some of her cakes were up to 10 feet tall with thousands of flowers on them. She was a master with icing and baking. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 11 letters
- Clue 2: It's a word similar to creativity
- Clue 3: It's often used in the phrase "use your _______"
George Gets Creative
Katie and George used their creativity to draw together. Katie drew a house while George used the secret of creativity to draw a lot of things! For some drawing inspiration, take a look at The Saturday Show: Art public list as well as our AADL.TV Arts and Crafts playlist, featuring our Drawing for Kids series and other fun arts and crafts projects!
What Is It? Modeling Clay!
This week's What Is It? was modeling clay! Modeling clay can be used to make all kinds of really cool projects. For ideas on what to build with your modeling clay, check out our 30 Days of Clay and 30 Days of Clay: Food playlists on AADL.TV, where you can learn how to make things like turtles, frogs, squirrels, cupcakes, pizza slices, and more!
Collaborative Writing
Clarissa and Peanut wrote a collaborative story together! They took turns writing one sentence each until their story was complete. In addition to collaborative writing, take a peek at The Saturday Show: Let's Write! public list for more creative writing prompts.
Zine Club
The team at The Saturday Show presents TSS Shorts! TSS Shorts are one-off segments featuring your favorite TSS characters. This week we joined a meeting of the TSS Zine Club to see what creative minds are up to. A Shark, Hazel, Big Fred, Charles and Camela made amazing zines to share!
Make your own zine with this blank template:
For instructions on how to make your own zine, check out this video!:
And the TSS Zine Club's zines are below!
Hazel's Zine:
Charles' Zine:
Camela's Zine:
Big Fred's Zine:
A Shark's Zine:
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Season 3: Episode 14 - Animals!
Airdate: December 4, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Join us for the Season 3 finale as Toby and Otto try and help Big Fred figure out what kind of frog he is! Plus a smattering of wacky animal facts, yoga poses, and much more as the TSS Crew explores all things animals!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi talked about their love of animals and Lexi showed them some really awesome famous animals! The Word of the Day was 'Goodall', which is the last name of Jane Goodall, the world's most famous and best authority on chimpanzees. You can learn more about her work by reading the books Jane Goodall, Who is Jane Goodall?, Jane Goodall: Chimpanzee Protector, and Primates, or by watching Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 9 letters
- Clue 2: The Latin name for this animal is Gulo Gulo
- Clue 3: This very fierce animal is the unofficial state animal of Michigan
Animal Facts
The TSS Crew shared all kinds of cool animal facts throughout this week's episode. Would you like to learn more about animals too? Take a look at The Saturday Show: Animals public list!
Animal Yoga
The TSS Crew shared yoga poses named after animals, such as the penguin, giraffe, sparrow, and lobster poses. You can try out these poses and many others by visiting 67 Animal Yoga Poses for Kids and 20+ Animal Yoga Poses.
Chickens
Elizabeth introduced us to her friends' chickens! You can learn more about raising chickens by reading Chicks & Chickens, Sonya's Chickens, Farm Animals: Chickens, Chickens, and Henrietta's Guide to Caring for Your Chickens.
Owls
Loren and Hazel went owl spotting in Hazel's neighborhood. They recommend the book Owl Moon for a thrilling story about searching for owls. You can also check out Otis the Owl, Owl Babies, Snowy Owl Invasion, So You Want to be an Owl, and Put On Your Owl Eyes for more cool information about owls.
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Season 3: Episode 13 - Nature!
Airdate: November 20, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Hazel's pal Junior needs some help getting home from the library. Toby, Otto and the TSS Crew experience everything nature as they get Junior back to the forest. For stories and information about the great outdoors, take a peek at The Saturday Show: Nature public list!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi enjoyed nature with Lexi in the woods! The Word of the Day was 'walden', which was the name of a pond in Massachusetts. There was a writer named Thoreau who lived at the pond for two years, two months and two days, and he wrote all about the nature that he saw there. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 11 letters
- Clue 2: It means a period of deep sleep that certain animals go into in the wintertime
- Clue 3: Bears enjoy this
Photography
Allison & Chicken took pictures of the beautiful things they found on their nature walk. Are you interested in photography too? Check out Photography, Photography, and Click Click Click from AADL, as well as Audubon's Six Nature-Photography Projects and National Geographic Kids' Wildlife Photography Tips!
Birdwatching
Amanda and Katie saw all kinds of amazing birds while they were out in the woods! Learn more about birdwatching with Michigan Bird Watching, Look Up! Bird-Watching In Your Own Backyard, Birds In Your Backyard, How To Find a Bird, Bird Watch, and The Bird Watching Answer Book.
Bark Rubbing
Lucy and Clarissa made awesome bark rubbings! Learn more about this fun and easy craft with Bark and Leaf Rubbings and Easy Outdoor Activities for Kids!
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Season 3: Episode 12 - Party!
Airdate: November 6, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto is throwing a surprise party for Toby and he's put Hazel in charge of planning the party! For more party fun, take a look at The Saturday Show: Party public list!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi made tasty lemonade for the party! The Word of the Day was 'jubilee', which is a big anniversary of a great event. For example, the 50th anniversary of something is a golden jubilee. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It's similar to a compound word
- Clue 3: The first word is a bone between your foot and your knee, and the second word is something you do with a shovel. If you put both of the words together you get the name of another fun party
Party Food
A Shark and Fauntleroy made some yummy treats for Toby's party! You can make delicious food too by taking a look at these public lists: Baking for Kids, The Saturday Show: Food!, International and Cultural Cookbooks for Kids, Cookbooks for Kids with Dietary Restrictions, and Recipes from the Past for Kids.
Party Music
Amanda, Katie and George pulled together some fun music to listen to during the party! To find your own awesome music, check these CDs out!
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Season 3: Episode 11 - TSS Action News!
Airdate: October 23, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Join TSS Action News anchors Otto Turtle and Toby Person as they deliver all the news that's fit to broadcast! For more stories about news and investigative reporting try the Reporters for Kids public list!
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi reported live from the compost pile regarding a mysterious delicata squash! The Word of the Day was 'muckraker', which is a journalist who exposed political and economic corruption in the early 1900's. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It's a person who is very important in the news room
- Clue 3: It's also a famous part of a sailing ship; when you want to keep your ship still, you drop it to the bottom
World Records
Katie Kitty attempted to break the world record for meowing the most times, and reporter George E. Boy was on the scene to interview Amanda about this amazing feat! The World Records for Kids public list features more awesome records from all around the world!
Brownie Bake Off
Peanut T. Puppy reported live from the Treat Town Brownie Bake-Off! Clarissa judged tasty treats from Roy, Junior and Fauntleroy to determine the winner of the contest! For fun stories about baking and for delicious recipes you can try at home, take a peek at the Baking for Kids public list! You can also watch episodes of The Great British Baking Show for more inspiration!
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Season 3: Episode 10 - Games!
Airdate: October 9, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto competes in the 44th Annual Wetland Games! Every year the best of the best gather to compete in a series of events to determine who gets to take home the coveted Golden Fish trophy!
Word of the Day
Christopher showed Kashi how to play the Cows of Dunshire! The Word of the Day was 'senet', which is one of the world's oldest board games. Senet seemed to involve moving pieces around on a board. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's the name of a fictional island and it's also the name of a game that came out in the 1990's that really pioneered the modern board game experience
- Clue 3: It's sometimes called Settlers
The Magical Land of Yum
Clarissa, Katie, George, John P. Walrus and Chicken played a role play game in The Magical Land of Yum! They continued their quest to explore the Five Realms of Flavor and restore balance to Princess Pamplemousse's Precariously Unbalanced Breakfast. Did watching the TSS friends play make you want to play a game too? Take a look at AADL's Games collection, filled with awesome games you can check out with your library card! Try out Animal Upon Animal, Anomia Kids, Qwirkle, Carcassonne, Wingspan, Azul, Tokaido, Ticket to Ride, and more! For even more ways to play, take a peek at The Saturday Show: Games public list for books about ancient games, outdoor games, fingerplays and clapping games, card games, and even making your own games.
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Season 3: Episode 9 - Science!
Airdate: September 25, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Join Toby, Otto and Professor Encephalon as they try their hand at a classic science experiment: a baking soda and vinegar volcano! Are you interested in learning more about real volcanoes? Try out Eyewitness Volcano, The Magic School Bus Blows It's Top: A Book About Volcanoes and Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives. For more awesome science resources check out The Saturday Show: Science public list!
Word of the Day
The Word of the Day was 'hypothesis', which is a working assumption when you're doing an experiment. After you do your research you can decide if your hypothesis was right or wrong. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 4 letters
- Clue 2: It means the information you collect (during an experiment or otherwise)
- Clue 3: It's also the name of a very famous Star Trek character
Animal Scientists
Lucy, Teddy and A Shark shared several examples of animal scientists with us, including Milka the dog (who helped invent velcro), hummingbirds (who helped inspire scientists to build better helicopters), humpback whales (whose fins have been studied and modeled for wind turbines due to the whales' tubercles), and sharks (whose skin inspired navy scientists to invent sharklet). To find out more about science and animals, take a look at Dog Science: Unleashed, How Smart are Animals?, Animal Adaptations: Communication, Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air, and Weird, Wild, Amazing!: Exploring the Incredible World of Animals.
Lepidopterology
Emmy told Loren and Hazel about her observations of Monarch butterflies! Learn lots more about Monarchs and their favorite food by exploring The AADL Milkweed and Monarch Project!
Detroit Zoo
Allison visited the animals at the Detroit Zoo! To visit the Detroit Zoo virtually, check out their virtual educational video lessons, virtual camps and animal live feeds (including river otters, snow monkeys and giraffes). You can learn more about the history of the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Zoological Society here. The Detroit Zoo also hosts cool videos about the Zoo on their Youtube page.
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Season 3: Episode 8 - A Clip Show!
Airdate: September 11, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby, Otto and Big Fred celebrate a year and a half of The Saturday Show as they look back on their favorite TSS moments together.
Word of the Day
The Word of the Day was 'reminisce', which means to indulge in enjoyable recollection of past events. You can join us in reminiscing by rewatching your favorite episodes of TSS or looking through the TSS Greatest Hits Collection playlist. What are some of your favorites?
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Season 3: Episode 7 - Hobbies!
Airdate: August 28, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Big Fred is looking for something fun to do to help fill his time. Join Otto, Toby & the TSS Crew as they help Big Fred find a new hobby! They try flower arranging and meditation before playing basketball with Bryan!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Kashi returned from her trip to the seaside and she and Christopher talked about their favorite hobbies. Kashi loves to knit and carve things while Christopher collects stamps and races slot cars. The Word of the Day was 'numismatics', which is the study of coins and coin collecting. The Summer Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It's a compound word
- Clue 3: It's a kind of old style photography
- Clue 4: The first word is like a needle (but it's not a needle) and the second word means a small opening or tear
Gardening
Amanda and Katie hung out in Amanda's garden. Amanda weeded the garden and told Katie all about her gardening tools, such as weeders, shovels and a hat to keep the sun off of your face. Are you interested in learning more about gardening? Then check out the Gardening for Kids public list!
Chicken Visits the Fairies
Did you enjoy watching Chicken visit nearby fairy gardens? Take a walk in your neighborhood to see what you discover! You can also visit the fairy door in the Downtown Youth area or make your very own fairy garden with help from any of these books: Fairy Garden Handbook, Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden, Fairy Gardens, Fairy Houses and Beyond!, Fairy Houses: How to Create Whimsical Homes for Fairy Folk, and Enchanted Gardening.
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Season 3: Episode 6 - Fashion!
Airdate: August 14, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto go thrifting before organizing a fashion show!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Clarissa and Lucy joined Lexi this week to give us the Word of the Day! The Word of the Day was 'couture', which is the business of designing, making and selling fashionable custom-made clothing. It can also describe the designers and establishments who create the clothing or the clothing itself. The Summer Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It starts with the last letter of the alphabet
- Clue 3: It's used to close and open parts of clothing
- Clue 4: It has teeth!
Denim & Levi Strauss
Amanda, Katie and George put on their finest denim outfits and Amanda shared the story of the history of denim. In 1852, Levi Strauss opened a dry goods company in San Francisco. He noticed that working folks needed durable clothes to wear, so he combined tough denim fabric with copper rivet reinforcements leading to the first pair of blue jeans. To learn more about Levi Strauss and the history of denim, check out this site or the book Who Was Levi Strauss?
Making Clothing & Sewing
Christopher made his very own shirt on this week's episode! Would you like to make your own clothing too? You can check out a sewing machine from AADL, as well as books on how to sew including Sewing School 2, Sewing: 25 Projects for a Crafty Afternoon, Sew Fab: Sewing and Style for Young Fashionistas, and A Kid's Guide to Sewing. You can also log into our online resource Creativebug for more awesome crafts!
History of Fashion
John led us through the history of fashion! Would you like to learn more? Take a look at Why'd They Wear That?, The Fashion Book, Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe, Planet Fashion, Hot Pink: The Life & Fashions of Elsa Schiaparelli, Bad Girls of Fashion and Bad Boys of Fashion.
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Season 3: Episode 5 - Bugs!
Airdate: July 31, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby, Otto and Big Fred go camping! When Otto unearths a gigantic ant colony, they soon find themselves on a big bug adventure!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Allison talked about what bug they would choose to be. The Word of the Day was 'antenna', which are feelers that help a bug learn about it's environment. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It's a silky casing that caterpillars spin
- Clue 3: It is also a famous Ron Howard movie
Ernest the Slug
Jackie told us the epic story of her friend Ernest, a very adventurous slug. She used her sharp eye and information gathered by fellow citizen scientists to help identify the displaced Ernest and relocate him to a more suitable habitat! Jackie's advice for a budding bug lover? Go outside to look for them yourself, then sketch what you find or look them up in picture books or field guides to learn more! The Book of Tiny Creatures and The Book of Brilliant Bugs are packed with info about all kinds of invertebrates--- including slugs! You can also download the book Understanding Insects from the AADL catalog right now!
Bug Hotels
Bugs of all types play an important role in our ecosystem. Lucy and Clarissa showed us how to make awesome bug hotels out of natural materials such as moss, pinecones, bamboo and tree bark. You too can make your own bug hotel by following these simple instructions.
Bug Books
Katie and George showed us Amanda's bug collection! How cool! Are you interested in learning even more about bugs and insects? Then take a look at The Saturday Show: Bugs! public list.
Bioluminescence
Bryan visited Maybury State Park and shared all kinds of fascinating facts about fireflies. Fireflies are bioluminescent, which means they glow in the dark! For more information on bioluminescence and animals that glow, take a peek at Cold Light, Glow: Animals with Their Own Night Lights, Glow-In-The-Dark Animals, Bioluminescence: Nature and Science at Work, and Creatures of the Night. For cute stories about fireflies, check out Among a Thousand Fireflies, How to Survive as a Firefly, Fly Firefly, It's a Firefly Night, Sam and the Firefly, and The Very Lonely Firefly.
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Season 3: Episode 4 - Questions!
Airdate: July 10, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto head to the library to answer a few questions. Along the way they meet Wanda W Wonder, a special new friend who loves to ask and answer questions!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Kashi told Christopher all about her thrilling train trip and they talked about what questions are. The Word of the Day was 'interrogative', which is another word for a question. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 3 letters
- Clue 2: It's a question word
- Clue 3: It is not a "wh-" question word
Leslie Science and Nature Center
Bryan visited the Leslie Science and Nature Center where David showed us an amazing barred owl. We learned that barred owls eat mice, voles, crayfish, and other delicious treats. Barred owls are nocturnal and they live in deep forested woodland areas. To meet more cool birds of prey from the Leslie Science and Nature Center, click here!
Questions
Our puppet pals asked some really good questions during this episode of The Saturday Show. Do you have questions too? Maybe some of these books from the library will help you answer them: Why Can't I Feel the Earth Spinning? & Other Vital Questions About Science, Did You Know? Amazing Answers to the Questions You Ask, Weird or What? A Cornucopia of Curious Questions and Answers!, Questions, Questions and 1000 Questions and Answers.
Sundials
Lucy showed us how to make an awesome sundial using just a few simple household items. Sundials are the oldest known instrument for telling time. For more information on sundials, check out this video from the Adler Planetarium.
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Season 3: Episode 3 - Summer!
Airdate: July 3, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Summertime is here and it's really really hot! Really really really really really hot! Toby and Otto search for a quick way to cool down in this week's episode.
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Kashi looked at Kashi's list of her favorite activities to do in the summer. The Word of the Day was 'parasol', which is an umbrella that we use to protect us from the sun. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's related to the sun
- Clue 3: People often use this word when they're talking about power (i.e. "It's _____ power")
Argo Cascades
When Professor Encephalon's head overheats from too much theorizing, he likes to divert himself with a little trip down the Argo Cascades to cool off. The Cascades are a fun new addition to Argo Park & Nature Area.
Ann Arbor Farmer's Market & Hindsight Farm
Otto and Toby tried to cool off under the awning of the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market. For more information about the vendors of the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market, click here. Then Hazel visited her friend's Angie and Mark, who run Hindsight Farm together! They grow things like garlic, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and melons. After visiting Hindsight Farm, Loren showed Hazel his backyard garden, where he grows delicious salad greens.
Ice Pops
Amanda, Katie and George made delicious ice pops to help cool off! They made Strawberry Mango Popsicles together. For more yummy popsicle recipes you can make yourself, take a look at For the Love of Popsicles: Naturally Delicious Icy Sweet Summer Treats From A-Z.
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Season 3: Episode 2 - Michigan!
Airdate: June 19, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Lucy hosts the show and a new friend flies into town: Clarissa the flamingo! Clarissa is curious about the great state of Michigan, and it's up to the TSS friends to help explain why Michigan is so wonderful!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Kashi played Marco Polo at the peony gardens at Nichols Arboretum. The Word of the Day was 'paw paw', which is a delicious fruit as well as a city in southwest Michigan. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 9 letters
- Clue 2: It means land surrounded by water on 3 sides
- Clue 3: Michigan is famous for them
The Fruit Ridge
A Shark visited Farmer Pete and his apple farm in a very special part of west Michigan called the Fruit Ridge. This area was formed millions of years ago when glaciers pushed the land into gentle rolling hills, leaving behind clay loam soils with superior moisture holding qualities. Because of it's proximity to Lake Michigan, this area provides a unique climate that is ideal for growing fruits and vegetables. You can find out more about the Fruit Ridge by visiting the Fruit Ridge Markets website. Learn more about farming with the Farmers and Farming for Kids public list.
Huron River
Loren and Hazel canoed down the Huron River and taught us all about the amazing waters of Michigan. They showed us some of the local wildlife, including sandhill cranes, great egrets, barred owls, swans, mallard ducks, and Canada geese. You can learn more about local birds with The Cornell Lab website. We learned several fun facts about the 5 Great Lakes, and we learned that Michigan has over 26,000 inland lakes and more than 120 rivers! Tahquamenon Falls and Kitch-iti-kipi Spring in the Upper Peninsula are also incredible and unique water features in Michigan.
Glaciers
While they were camping, Toby and Otto ran into Bryan in the woods! Bryan told them a very chilling tale about the Laurentide Ice Sheet, a massive continental glacier that covered and shaped much of Canada and the northern United States during the last ice age. Later in this era, megafauna such as mastodons and wooly mammoths roamed these parts. Their fossilized remains can still be found in the area to this day. Within Ann Arbor, Ruthven Nature Area is a great example of glacial terrain. For more information on these topics, check out Glaciers: Nature's Icy Caps, Glaciers, Mammoth and Mastodon, and Under Michigan: The Story of Michigan's Rocks and Fossils.
Michigan Fun Facts
Katie and George read a cool book about Michigan together! They learned about Michigan's state symbols, such as the robin (Michigan's state bird), the painted turtle (Michigan's state reptile), and the brook trout (Michigan's state fish). Would you like to read a book all about Michigan too? If so, check out The Saturday Show: Michigan public list.
Mackinac Bridge
Allison told us all about the Mackinac Bridge, a bridge that connects both of Michigan's peninsulas. Before the bridge was built, a fleet of ferries transported people, vehicles and supplies across the Straits of Mackinac. For more about the history and building of the Mackinac Bridge, take a look at the Mackinac Bridge Authority's website, the book Mackinac Bridge: The Story of the Five-Mile Poem, or the DVD Building the Mighty Mac. To check out what's happening at the Mackinac Bridge right now, take a look at the live Bridge Cam.
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Season 3: Episode 1 - Art!
Airdate: June 12, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Big Fred wants to spend time with his new friend Tasha. They're going to the art museum! The TSS pals help Big Fred learn all about art to help him feel more comfortable at the art museum.
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Kashi created a beautiful portrait of Christopher! Kashi's picture was modeled after this abstract painting by Pablo Picasso. The Word of the Day was 'abstract', which is a kind of representation that some people say is not very realistic looking. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It's a French word
- Clue 3: It means a collection of stuff glued together
Public Art
Amanda, Katie, Loren, Christopher and Allison led Big Fred on an art walk in Downtown Ann Arbor to look at some amazing public art. During the art walk the TSS crew watched the installation of the beautiful new AADL Black Lives Matter Mural. Would you like to go on your own art walk? Check out the City of Ann Arbor's Public Art Tour, the Ann Arbor Art Center Art in Public Murals, or learn about the public art program at the University of Michigan. Just like Big Fred said, "It seems like art is everywhere, you just have to know to look for it!"
Artist Interviews
We spoke with two artists about two of their favorite pieces of art: one by another artist and one they created themselves. Anusree Sattaluri told us about Vincent Van Gogh's "Bedroom in Arles" and show us her own work "Rituals-Plants". Kimberly Givens told us about "The Conversation" by Romare Bearden and showed us her own work "She of Tranquility"
Draw Break and Artist Trading Cards
Loren led us on a cool Draw Break featuring op art shapes. You can learn more about op art here. Lucy showed us how to make awesome Artist Trading Cards! Are you interested in making your own art? Take a look at The Saturday Show: Art public list for inspiration!
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Season 2: Episode 16 - Backwards Day!
Airdate: May 1, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Something is off in the world of TSS and it's up to Otto to figure it out! If you enjoyed today's episode you may also enjoy The Saturday Show: Backwards Day public list! Thank you so much for joining us for The Saturday Show Season 2! Season 3 airs this summer - hope to see you then!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Kashi had dinner for breakfast! The Word of the Day was 'chronological', which is doing things in order by time: what goes first goes first and what goes last goes last. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It's the thing you look at to see your reflection
- Clue 3: Most people have these in the bathroom
Palindromes
Allison told us all about palindromes, which are words, phrases, numbers or other sequences of characters that are read the same backwards as forwards. An example is the word 'racecar'. For more palindrome fun, check out Sit On a Potato Pan, Otis!, The Wonder Book, and Jon Agee's Palindromia.
Mirror Writing
The famous artist Leonardo da Vinci used mirrors to write backwards. You can find out more about his life in this book: Leonardo da Vinci. Or try out mirror writing for yourself!
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Season 2: Episode 15 - Rainy Day!
Airdate: April 24, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby, Otto and Big Fred enjoyed a peaceful rainy day together. Enjoy your next rainy day with the help of The Saturday Show: Rainy Day public list!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Kashi discussed all of the things they like to do on a rainy day. The Word of the Day was 'precipitation', which is water that falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow or sleet. The Summer Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 7 letters
- Clue 2: It contains every color
- Clue 3: It appears after a rainstorm
- Clue 4: Legend says you can find a pot of gold at the end
Rain Gardens
Loren spoke with Susan Bryan about Rain Gardens, who told him all about how to make one and what makes them so great! You can watch a video that Susan made about Rain Gardens here. It includes a very cool comic by Ann Arbor artist David Zinn called “I was a Teenage Raindrop”!
Rain in a Glass Science Experiment
Amanda and Katie showed us an amazing rain in a glass experiment! With just water, shaving cream and food coloring you can make it rain in a glass too!
Rain Science
Bryan told us all about geosmin, which is the biggest contributor to the wonderful scent you can smell outside after rainfall. This pleasant earthy smell is called petrichor. Professor Encephalon explained how watersheds work. To learn more about watersheds, check out this Cherry Lake Publishing book download called Watershed Conservation. For more rain science, take a look at Rain Forest Experiments: 10 Science Experiments in One Hour or Less.
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Season 2: Episode 14 - Space!
Airdate: April 17, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto used a telescope to look at the moon in the night sky. You can explore space further by taking a look at The Saturday Show: Space public list! Learn about rockets, space shuttles, meteors, black holes, astronauts and more! Or take a tour of the International Space Station!
Word of the Day & the Summer Game Code
Christopher and Kashi discussed the vastness of space together. The Word of the Day was 'cosmonaut', which is the Russian word for astronaut. The Summer Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It means a collection of billions of stars
- Clue 3: Ours is called the Milky Way
Constellations
Lucy showed us so many cool constellations and explained the stories behind them. You can learn even more about the constellations with this public list of Constellations for Kids.
Astronaut Tony England
We were so excited to interview Tony England, an astronaut and scientist who worked on Apollos 13 and 16 and went to space in the Challenger space shuttle! To watch his full interview check out this link.
Our Solar System to Scale
A Shark took us on an awesome journey through our solar system and discussed the size of our solar system to scale. Would you like to try this out for yourself? You can follow A Shark's route through Gallup Park or you can learn more by taking a look at this link.
NASA's Golden Record
Loren and Hazel explored the Golden Record that NASA launched into space more than 40 years ago. You can hear and see what’s on this amazing record for yourself at this site: http://goldenrecord.org! Learn more about the Voyager space probes’ missions at NASA’s website.
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Season 2: Episode 13 - Numbers!
Airdate: April 10, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby, Otto and Big Fred held an awesome pizza party to celebrate the hard work of The Saturday Show crew! They did pizza math in order to determine how many pizzas to make for the TSS pizza party. A great book on the topic of pizza math is How Do You Measure a Slice of Pizza? A Book About Geometry.
Word of the Day
Christopher and Kashi mapped out the route they were going to take on their walk. The Word of the Day was 'hypotenuse', which is the long side of a right triangle. It's the shortest distance between two points and it's a straight line. An interesting book that talks in depth about the different features of triangles is Triangles.
The Winter Game Code
Professor Encephalon told us all about the Fibonacci sequence. Two great books about Fibonacci and the sequence of numbers that is named after him include Growing Patterns: Fibonacci Numbers in Nature and Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci. Then Professor Encephalon introduced the Winter Game code! The Winter Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It means a number
- Clue 3: It also means a finger or toe
- Clue 4: If you cut this word into two words, it becomes a popular saying from the 1960's
Number Magic and Chocolate Bar Geometry Magic
John showed us an amazing number magic trick and Lucy demonstrated an awesome chocolate bar trick using geometry! Were you astounded by these tricks? Mathemagic is filled with cool number magic tricks if you'd like to learn more. For fun uses of geometry, see Start the Game: Geometry in Sports, The Book Bandit: A Mystery With Geometry, Geometry Is As Easy As Pie, and the Sir Cumference series.
Number Books
The Wacky & Wonderful World Through Numbers is the book Katie and George were looking at in this week's episode. Most of the cool numbers they talked about were not from this book, but it's a really neat book with so many great facts involving numbers! Are you interested in learning more interesting facts about numbers? Then take a look at The Saturday Show: Numbers public list.
Como Se Dice
Did you enjoy learning numbers in Spanish on this week's Como Se Dice? Would you like to learn more numbers in other languages? Check out this public list to learn numbers in languages such as Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu.
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Season 2: Episode 12 - Transportation!
Airdate: April 3, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Loren and Hazel hosted the show! They biked around town in order to return their library books to the Downtown library. They read the classic picture book This is San Francisco by Miroslav Šašek. You can borrow it from AADL too! Another great San Francisco picture book is Maybelle, the Cable Car by Virginia Lee Burton.
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi played with trucks and talked about their favorite vehicles together. The Word of the Day was 'Icarus', who is a famous figure from Greek mythology who made his own wings and flew with them. The Winter Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's both a noun and a verb
- Clue 3: It's a type of boat
- Clue 4: There's a famous example of this between Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI
Library Truck
Toby and Otto interviewed Arnie, who drives our library truck along with the rest of our amazing maintenance team! They haul books, movies, art prints, tools, games, magazines, puzzles and more between all five locations of the Ann Arbor District Library. Arnie told us behind the scenes information about how the library truck operates and shared his favorite library truck artwork with us.
Stephenson's "Rocket"
Do you love trains? So does Christopher! He visited the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation to see their special model replica of Stephenson's 1829 "Rocket" Locomotive. It was an early steam locomotive that won a famous competition that set the template for all future steam locomotives after it.
Ford River Rouge Complex
Toby and Otto visited the Ford River Rouge Complex, one of the most awesome pieces of industrial history. It was built by Henry Ford in order to produce every single aspect of a car right on the gigantic property. At its peak, nearly 100,000 people worked at the Ford River Rouge Complex building cars, tractors, aircraft engines and other important pieces of machinery. The famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera visited the complex and used it as inspiration for his Detroit Industry Murals on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The Ford River Rouge Complex was also the site of The Battle of the Overpass in 1937, where labor leaders stood up to the Ford Motor Company and won! It was a major victory for the labor rights movement and for workers everywhere.
Mcity Test Facility
Lucy told us all about the Mcity Test Facility right here in Ann Arbor! At this facility scientists test autonomous vehicles that can drive without a human driver. These driverless buses work through radar, light detection and cameras to navigate the roads, see the environment and respond to what they sense around them.
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Season 2: Episode 11 - Colors!
Airdate: March 27, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby met Otto's colorful longtime friend Roy!
Complementary Colors
Loren introduced us to the concept of complementary colors in art. He showed us famous examples such as The Scream by Edvard Munch. A Book About Color is a great place to start to learn more about the color wheel and complementary colors. Hello, Red Fox is a great example of complementary colors as well. Are you interested seeing more amazing art? You can take virtual tours of the Louvre in Paris, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, among others.
Color Blindness
Professor Encephalon informed us about color blindness, which is a condition in which someone has a reduced ability to distinguish between certain colors. To hear from someone who is color blind, take a look at this clip from No Such Thing as Color.
Color Festivals
Allison shared many different colorful festivals from around the world with us. Lunar New Year is one of those festivals! Learn more about Lunar New Year from this Scholastic video or this public list! To learn more about Loi Krathong take a look at Cultural Traditions in Thailand or All About Thailand. You can learn more about Holi with the books Holi Colors, Festival of Colors, and Happy Holi. You can learn about hot air balloons with the books Up and Away, The Noon Balloon, and Hot Air Balloons. A few books that celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival are Cherry Blossom and Paper Planes, Japanese Celebrations, Sakura's Cherry Blossoms, and Japanese Traditions. La Tomatina is explored in the book Food Fight Fiesta, and a great book on many different festivals around the world is A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals.
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi played with colorful blocks and swapped silly jokes. The Word of the Day was 'transparent', which means you can see clearly through an object, like see-through glass or water. The Winter Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 8 letters
- Clue 2: It's a kind of purple color
- Clue 3: It's named after a plant with purple flowers
- Clue 4: Kashi sang a song with the last clue
Plumage Dimorphism in Birds!
Amanda and Katie introduced the concept of plumage dimorphism in birds, which is when male and female birds have differently colored feathers. Usually the male bird is more colorful. To learn more about birds, take a look at this public list of Birds for Kids!
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Season 2: Episode 10 - Let's Write!
Airdate: March 20, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto explored the magical art of writing! For more resources on writing, check out The Saturday Show: Let's Write public list!
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi wrote blackout poetry, which is when you take a piece of writing and you cover up some of the words with a pen or marker. Whatever is left is the poem! The Word of the Day was 'boustrophedon', which is a style of writing in which alternate lines of writing are flipped or reversed. The Winter Game code for this episode has 2 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It's a type of old pen made from a feather
Acrostic Poems
Lucy and Teddy showed us how to make different types of acrostic poems! An acrostic poem is a poem where the first letter of each line spells out the subject of the poem. For more information about acrostic poems and other forms of poetry check out the Poetry for Kids public list.
Hieroglyphics
Amanda and Katie showed us the oldest form of written language: hieroglyphics! Hieroglyphics were a way of writing used by ancient Egyptians involving individual pictures and drawings. For a fascinating look at how Jean-Francois Champollion deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics, take a look at Seeker of Knowledge by James Rumford. You can also learn more about Ancient Egyptian Culture in this book by Leigh Rockwood.
Constructed Languages
Allison and Squeak shared several constructed languages with us, including Quenya from Lord of the Rings, Klingon from Star Trek, Esperanto and Pig Latin. Are you interested in learning a constructed language? Duolingo offers free courses online in both Klingon and Esperanto.
Calligraphy
Loren spoke with Hazel about practicing calligraphy! AADL has several good how-to calligraphy books. Calligraphy for Kids by Eleanor Winters shows several different kinds of Roman-alphabet scripts, plus cool projects. Also check out My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy by Olive Guiilaume. To watch Loren write more Blackletter and download a couple basic Blackletter guides, check out this blog post: https://aadl.org/node/574230.
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Season 2: Episode 9 - Habitats!
Airdate: March 13, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto explained at The Fact Desk that habitats are the term used to describe the preferred surroundings of a particular species or animal. It refers to the resources available in an area that would attract and sustain that life form. A great book that explores different habitats around the world is The Wonder Garden: Wander Through 5 Habitats to Discover 80 Amazing Animals. You can also explore other animal habitats with the Animal Habitats for Kids public list!
National Geographic Kids also has a great website with more in-depth information about habitats.
Wetlands
Toby and Otto visited Mary Beth Doyle Park and Wetland Preserve to see Otto's natural habitat. Otto taught us about brumation, which is what other Blanding's turtles like Otto do during the winter. Turtles like Otto spend most of their time deep under the water because they know it won't freeze in the cold winter weather. They slow their bodies down, they don't eat, and they stay still. Brumation is somewhat similar to hibernation. Are you interested in learning more about Otto's former home in the wetlands? If so, take a peek at the Wetlands for Kids public list.
Forests
Loren and Hazel visited the forest, which is Hazel's natural habitat. Squirrels build their squirrel nests in forests. These homes are called dreys. To learn more about squirrels in Michigan, take a look at this site. The New York Times hosts a short article about how squirrels build their nests. Loren and Hazel also showed us amazing squirrel obstacle courses created by Mark Rober. More information about all kinds of different forests is available in the Forests for Kids public list.
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi explored Kashi's indoor habitat. The Word of the Day was 'niche', which is a term used in ecology that describes how an animal or animal population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors, and how in turn it alters those same factors. The Winter Game code for this episode has 4 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It means a very dry place, but sometimes it can be cold at night
- Clue 3: One example of this is Death Valley, CA
- Clue 4: Adding an S to the middle of the word gets you something nice to eat
Big Cats
Amanda and Katie talked about big cats! Big cats are different from domesticated cats like Katie and include animals such as lions, tigers, jaguars, cougars and cheetahs! For more information, take a look at this Big Cats for Kids public list!
In September 2020, the Detroit Zoo welcomed a new baby lion! To meet the new lion cub Binti click this link. You can also go on a Tiger Adventure at the Detroit Zoo here.
Animal Homes
Lucy showed us different types of animal homes during What Is It? We saw nests for birds, dreys for squirrels, and nests for wasps! More books about the different places animals can live can be found in the Animal Homes for Kids public list.
Oceans
A Shark visited the fish tank at Malletts Creek and told us all about his former home: oceans and coral reefs! For more information on oceans and the amazing creatures that live in them, take a look at this public list of Oceans for Kids.
Would you like to take a trip to an aquarium from the comfort of your own home? The Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts fascinating live cams of their animals in captivity, including jellyfish, sea otters, penguins, sharks, and a live cam of Monterey Bay itself! These live cams are available to watch for free here. The Georgia Aquarium offers live cams of some of their aquatic exhibits as well, which are available to watch here.
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Season 2: Episode 8 - TSS Solves a Mystery!
Airdate: March 6, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Big Fred went missing! Thankfully Super Turtle came to the rescue!
Mysteries for Kids
Amanda encouraged Super Turtle to look for clues using his observation skills! Kids who are interested in solving their own mysteries can take a look at Super Puzzletastic Mysteries: Short Stories for Young Sleuths from Mystery Writers of America. And for more great mystery stories to solve, check out these public lists for Mystery Books for Kids and Mystery DVDs for Kids.
Anagrams!
Lucy introduced the concept of anagrams, which is a word, phrase or name formed by rearranging another word, phrase or name. For example, the word "anagram" can be rearranged to say "a rag man". For more anagram fun, take a peek at Lemonade, and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word.
Invisible Ink!
Allison demonstrated an easy way to make invisible ink using lemon juice! Other recipes for invisible ink can be found in The Boxcar Children Guide to Adventure: A How-To for Mystery Solving, Make-It-Yourself Projects, and More!, Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman, Making Things Change, and Curious Jane: Science + Design + Engineering for Inquisitive Girls.
Ciphers!
Professor Encephalon showed us several codes and ciphers, which helped Super Turtle solve the mystery! Did you know Professor Encephalon has his own series of videos on Youtube? Check out the first two episodes here: Secret Codes and Ciphers 1: Steganography and Secret Codes and Ciphers 2: Codes. And for more ways to break codes, try out the Secret Agent Training Manual.
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Season 2: Episode 7 - The Senses!
Airdate: February 27, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto played I Spy together and Otto visited The Fact Desk to explain our brain's influence on how we experience senses! Later on, Allison talked about some of our internal senses, such as the vestibular system and proprioception.
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi explored their senses by touching, tasting, smelling, feeling and listening to a lemon! The Word of the Day was 'synesthesia', which is a condition where all of the different senses sometimes combine, such as associating colors with certain sounds or tasting letters. To find out more about synesthesia, check out Tastes Like Music: 17 Quirks of the Brain and Body. The Winter Game code for this episode has 3 clues:
- Clue 1: It has 5 letters
- Clue 2: It is the sense of being in a location
- Clue 3: It is often used after the word "outer"
Como Se Dice
During Como Se Dice we learned how to say body parts in Spanish! Are you interested in learning more about the senses in languages such as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Urdu, German, French, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Somali & Persian? Then give these Bilingual Senses Books a try!
Touch
Loren and Hazel used their sense of touch to identify trees in their neighborhood! They closely examined the bark of various trees to figure out the tree's species. For more in-depth information, take a look at these two articles: Identifying Trees by Their Bark by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia and Bark! A Great Way to Identify Trees in the Winter by the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. Or use your AADL library card to request Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast by Michael Wojtech through the Michigan eLibrary.
Sound
Zeynep led us on a fun soundwalk inside her home and outside in her neighborhood. Any walk can become a soundwalk... all you need to do is listen to the sounds around you! For more resources on all of our senses, check out The Saturday Show: The Senses public list!
Taste
Amanda used her sense of taste to try out 5 different ingredients: maple syrup was sweet, lemon juice was sour, turmeric was bitter, salt was salty and chili powder was spicy! For more fun taste experiments try out Step-by-Step Experiments with Taste and Digestion and Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: 52 Mouth-Watering Recipes and the Everyday Science That Makes Them Taste Amazing!
Sight
Toby and Otto used their sense of sight to explore optical illusions, which is when your eyes see something but your brain perceives what you're seeing as something other than what it actually is. They showed us a few impossible shapes, like an elephant with five legs! For more optical illusions like these, take a peek at this public list of Optical Illusions for Kids!
Smell
Lucy introduced us to her cute dog Teddy! She explained that dogs have a strong sense of smell thanks to the 300,000,000 olfactory receptors in their noses. Then Teddy and Lucy played hide and seek to see if Teddy could locate a treat with only his nose. Interested in learning more about dog noses and their incredible sense of smell? Then check out this book: Super Sniffers!
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Season 2: Episode 6 - Changemakers!
Airdate: February 20, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto explained what a changemaker is at The Fact Desk and Toby and Otto joined forces with Loren and Hazel to rap about changemakers and Grace Lee Boggs!
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi talked about the latest presidential inauguration and the incredible performance of youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman! The Word of the Day was 'persistence', which is when you stick with something even if it is difficult or others disagree. The Winter Game code for this episode has four clues:
- Clue 1: It is a woman's first name
- Clue 2: It has 5 letters
- Clue 3: This person is Swedish
- Clue 4: She is a climate change activist
Young Changemakers
Amanda highlighted many different changemakers who began making a difference in their communities at a young age, including Mari Copeny, Greta Thunberg, Easton LaChappelle, Louis Braille, Claudette Colvin and Yash Gupta! Are you interested in helping your community too? Maybe you'll be inspired by Stand Up! Speak Out! A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution or What Can a Citizen Do? Or check out this public list on Young Changemakers!
Al Paca & Bobby Cat
Al Paca and Bobby Cat introduced Black History Month, which celebrates Black people who have made important contributions to the world. Bobby and Al have been visiting us regularly as a part of the "Al Paca Celebrates Black History Month" series on AADL's Youtube page. For more information, check out their videos on Ida B. Wells, Carter G. Woodson, Althea Gibson and Madam C. J. Walker!
Bottle Bricking
Lucy showed us how to make bottle bricks! This simple activity can help turn everyday plastic materials (such as plastic wrappers, twist ties, plastic bags and other plastic packaging) into useful building material! You can then use the bottle bricks to create all kinds of different structures and items. Are you interested in learning more about reusing, remaking and recycling everyday objects? Visit Recycle Ann Arbor's page for information on recycling and different ways to get involved in your community. Then take a look at this public list on Recycling for Kids!
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Season 2: Episode 5 - Winter!
Airdate: February 13, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto showed Toby his new winter coat, we heard Dave E. Dog and Big Fred play the Winter Blues, and they all got cozy together! After that, Otto ran to The Fact Desk to explain hygge: a quality of coziness that makes people feel contented and comfortable.
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi got all bundled up to play in the snow! The Word of the Day was 'solstice', which is the time when the sun reaches its maximum or minimum declination. There is a summer solstice and a winter solstice, when we experience the longest and shortest days of the year! The Winter Game code for this episode has four clues:
- Clue 1: It has 4 letters
- Clue 2: It means a kind of icy ball that falls from the sky
- Clue 3: It is not sleet
- Clue 4: It only happens in the spring, summer and/or fall... not in the winter!
Winter Sports!
Amanda and Katie talked about all kind of outdoor winter activities, including ice hockey, figure skating, ice fishing, curling, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, hiking in snowshoes and snowmobiling. Then they went sledding together! You can find out more about these fun winter activities by visiting this list.
Snowflake Window Clings!
Lucy showed us how to make awesome snowflake window clings!
You will need:
- Puffy paint
- A plastic bag
- Paper
- A pencil
Directions:
- Use the pencil to draw snowflakes on your piece of paper.
- Place the paper with snowflake drawings inside of the plastic bag.
- Use puffy paint to trace the shape of the snowflakes on the plastic bag.
- Let your snowflake dry completely on the plastic bag.
- Once dry, place on a window and enjoy!
Animals Tracks
Brian showed us examples of different animals tracks and helped us identify which animals made them! Are you interested in learning more about animals that are active during the winter? Then check out this public list of books about Winter Animals!
Snowflake Bentley
Loren and Hazel told us all about Wilson Bentley, also known as Snowflake Bentley. Snowflake Bentley was the first known person to take detailed photographs of snowflakes and record their features. To learn more about how he did this, check out the book Snowflake Bentley! And for more winter fun, take a look at The Saturday Show: Winter public list for winter themed stories, facts, crafts and more!
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Season 2: Episode 4 - Water!
Airdate: February 6, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto shared information about water from behind the Fact Desk, and Toby and Otto sang about the Great Lakes!
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi talked about all things water! The Word of the Day was 'anadromous', which is when fish live part of their time in the sea and then they return to freshwater rivers. The Winter Game code for this episode has three clues:
- Clue 1: It has 11 letters
- Clue 2: It means fear of water
- Clue 3: It's another term for rabies
Rainsticks!
Toby and Otto showed us how to make a rainstick on this week's episode. Follow the directions below to make your very own!
You will need:
- A tube
- 2 small fabric scraps
- 2 small rubber bands
- 1/4 cup rice
- Aluminum foil
Directions:
- Close off one end of the tube by putting 1 fabric scrap around it and sealing it with 1 small rubber band.
- Tear off a piece of aluminum foil that is roughly 2 times the length of your tube and roll it into a tight coil. Then fold the tight coil into a corkscrew shape. Place the coil into the tube.
- Fill the open end of the tube with 1/4 cup rice.
- Close off the open end of the tube by putting 1 fabric scrap around it and sealing it with the remaining rubber band.
- Turn the tube upside down to hear the sound of rain!
Awesome Water Experiments!
Amanda showed us how to turn a cup of water upside down without spilling a single drop! Check out this website to find out more about the science behind this floating water mystery! Lucy explained the concept of water refraction and showed us an awesome example. To find out more about this cool experiment, check out this link! And for even more water-themed science experiments, check out Super Simple Things To Do With Water.
Muskrats and Vernal Ponds
Loren and Hazel explored the Huron River and told us all about muskrats! We also saw up-close footage from a vernal pond. Are you interested in learning more about anything you saw in this week's episode? Then check out The Saturday Show: Water public list for water science, stories, and more!
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Season 2: Episode 3 - Nighttime!
Airdate: January 30, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto learned about nighttime, and Otto overcame his fear of the dark!
Word of the Night & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi spent time outside in their observatory looking at the night sky. They told us about Dark Sky Preserves. The Word of the Night was crepuscular, which is when animals come out at twilight. The Winter Game code for this episode has four clues:
- Clue 1: It has 13 letters
- Clue 2: It means a pattern of stars in the sky
- Clue 3: They are often named after mythological figures
- Clue 4: There are 88 of them!
Nocturnal Animals!
Amanda told us all about nocturnal animals! These are animals who sleep during the day and are awake during the nighttime. Owls, bats, fireflies, aardvarks, badgers, beavers, raccoons, mice, brown rats and eastern whippoorwills are all nocturnal animals. Are you interested in learning more? Then give this Nocturnal Animals public list a try!
Triboluminescence
Lucy showed us how to make Life Savers mint candies spark! Check out this website to find out more about the science behind this awesome experiment!
Nighttime Folklore
Loren and Hazel explored moon myths and showed us the different faces of the moon, while Toby and Otto ended the night with a beautiful nighttime folktale. Check out The Saturday Show: Nighttime public list for more nighttime mythology, science, stories, and more!
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Season 2: Episode 2 - Jobs!
Airdate: January 23, 2021
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto helped Big Fred find the perfect job!
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
The Word of the Day this week was 'Gandy Dancer'! Christopher and Kashi explained that a gandy dancer is a slang term for early railroad workers in the United States who laid and maintained railroad tracks. The Winter Game code for this episode has four clues:
- Clue 1: It has 6 letters
- Clue 2: It's from the French language
- Clue 3: It's a list of all of your jobs and education
- Clue 4: You use it when you're looking for jobs
Finding Jobs!
Is someone you know looking for a job? Then point them towards the AADL Job Search Toolkit, filled with all kinds of resources related to finding a job. The AADL Job Search Toolkit has information and resources for learning about different careers, building skills, searching for jobs, writing resumes and cover letters, brushing up on your interview skills, learning what happens after a job offer, and finding volunteer opportunities in our community.
Learning About Jobs!
Amanda told us about her job at AADL, Dr. Jason told us why he loves being a doctor, and Loren interviewed Erica Drake, a snow plow driver for the city of Ann Arbor. Are you interested in learning more about different kinds of jobs? Then take a look at this public list of Job Books for Kids!
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Season 2: Episode 1 - Maps & Geography!
Airdate: January 16, 2021
Welcome back to Season Two of The Saturday Show!
This week on The Saturday Show: Otto shared his knowledge of maps and geography with us from behind The Fact Desk and Toby followed Otto's map to find Otto's secret hidden treasure!
Word of the Day & the Winter Game Code
Christopher and Kashi introduced the concept of 'Ultima Thule', which was the Word of the Day. The Winter Game code for this episode has two clues:
- Clue 1: This word can be spelled two different ways, with either 6 or 7 letters (Christopher says: it is a noun)
- Clue 2: It's the name of a supercontinent from waaaaaay back before continents broke apart
Maps & Geography for Kids!
Amanda showed us all kinds of really cool maps, including road maps, walking maps, maps of Loch Ness and even a map of the surface of the moon! Did seeing all of these amazing maps spark your interest in maps, cartography and geography? Then take a look at this public list of Maps & Geography Books for Kids.
Lucy's Magnetic Compass!
Lucy showed us how to make our very own magnetic compass! Are you looking to dive into the science behind this awesome experiment? Then head over to this site to find out more!
Border to Border Trail & the Allen Creek Berm
Loren and Hazel looked at a map of Italy before they went for a ride on the Border-to-Border Trail. Not too long ago, the Border-to-Border Trail was inaccessible from Downtown Ann Arbor because of the railroad. City leaders and engineers worked together to create a new tunnel and bridge so that people were able to cross the railroad safely. You can find more information about the Allen Creek Railroad Berm project by following this link.
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Episode 26 - The Great Indoors!
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby, Otto and their friends sang "Down by the Bay" and "3 Green and Speckled Frogs" around their indoor makeshift campfire. Christopher read Every Little Thing while Kashi played in a blanket fort and LEXI gave us the Word of the Day: "See You in 2021!" Season Two of The Saturday Show airs in January - hope to see you then!
Elizabeth's Squash Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 2 apples
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Ask an adult to help you chop the butternut squash in half and chop the ends off. Scoop out the squash seeds with a spoon and place the butternut squash on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle the butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, until you can insert a toothpick or butter knife and the squash is soft.
- Ask an adult to help you dice the onion and chop the fresh ginger and apples.
- Saute the onions with some olive oil in a pan on the stovetop.
- Add the fresh ginger, apples, garlic and vegetable broth and simmer until the apples soften.
- Scoop out the insides of the squash and add to the pot.
- Add ground ginger, curry powder and turmeric and stir.
- Take the pot off the heat, cool it a little, and ask an adult to help you use either a food processor or an immersion blender to puree the soup. Then add it back to the pot on the stovetop.
- Add coconut milk and let cook until warm.
Katie's Candied Pecans
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb pecans (or any nut)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp water
- 1 egg
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Ask an adult to help you crack an egg over a small bowl and transfer half of the egg white to a larger mixing bowl.
- Add water and whisk until combined.
- Add pecans to the mixing bowl and stir until all pecans are wet.
- Mix sugar, salt and cinnamon in a separate small bowl until incorporated, then add to mixing bowl with the rest of your ingredients. Stir well.
- Spread the pecans in a single layer across a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Bake the pecans for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Paper Airplanes
Christopher taught us how to make 2 different types of paper airplanes: the classic dart and the origami glider. Then he showed us how they fly! Are you interested in making paper airplanes too? Then check out Making a Paper Airplane and Other Paper Toys, available immediately for download, or this public list full of different types of Paper Airplanes!
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Imagination
This week on The Saturday Show: Toby and Otto used their imaginations to pull three questions out of the What If box! Together they found out what would happen if someone else hosted The Saturday Show, if Toby and Otto traded places, and if Toby and Otto made a song about imagination. Are you looking for new ways to use your imagination? Check out Unlock Your Imagination (a book of 250 boredom busters) or take a peek at the books listed below.
Indoor Crafts and Activities
Lucy showed us how to make fun sock puppets, Christopher explained how to play the Exquisite Corpse drawing game, Amanda shared tips on how to survive hot lava, and Elle made a cozy blanket fort. Are you looking for more crafts and activities to do while we're all spending more time indoors? Cherry Lake Publishing has made the following kids craft books available for immediate download: Making Sock Puppets, Creating Winter Crafts, Painting Rocks, Building Snow Forts, Making Jewelry with Rubber Bands, Creating Fairy Retreats, Folding Origami, Crafting with Duct Tape, Crafting with Recyclables, Crafting with Washi Tape, Crafting with Tissue Paper, Modeling Clay Creations, and Making Clay Craft Beads, among others listed here. Or place a hold on some of the books in our public list of Indoor Crafts & Activities for Kids, featuring a hundred books filled with fun activities to try at home.
Learning Japanese
Charlie taught us how to say several different words pertaining to imagination in Japanese. Looking for more information about learning the Japanese language? Give this list a try!
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Volunteering and Lending a Helping Hand
There are many ways to volunteer your time to help others. This week on The Saturday Show Toby and Otto visited their friends to ask how they could help! Toby and Otto gave Wilfredo new water and medicine, found Big Fred's missing library book, and helped Stephanie in the garden. Marianne showed us how to take a mindful minute to wash the dishes. We also talked about other ways to help out around the house, including: recycling, shoveling snow, raking leaves, planting trees and gardening, picking up trash outside, and sewing masks. What are some ways you can help in your community?
Donations
Elle showed us how to make a change jar to collect money donations and Nora talked about different items that can be donated, including non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries, furniture, and money. A few local organizations that currently accept donations include the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, Food Gatherers, Meals on Wheels, United Way of Washtenaw County, the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, and the American Red Cross, among others. More resources and COVID-19 updates are also available here.
Helping Animals and Insects
Ann and Graham shared tips on how to help pollinators, birds, and other animals in your own backyard. Aurora showed us how to prepare items for recycling, and how to make a recycled plastic bottle bird feeder and a recycled can bee/bug shelter. You can learn more about helping animals by visiting the Huron Valley Humane Society, and you can learn more about recycling by visiting Recycle Ann Arbor.
Mindfulness
At the end of the episode, Toby and Otto talked about self care and mindfulness, and Toby showed us how to make a breathing square. Are you looking for tips and examples of how to practice self care? Check out this Self-Care Guide for Busy Parents & Children as well as these tips from Community Access Network on How to Teach Your Child About Self Care.
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Toby and Otto's Time Machine!
This week on The Saturday Show Toby and Otto traveled all throughout time in their Time Machine!
Spinning Wheels and Art Tools
Ann showed us her drop spindle and spinning wheel, Elizabeth showed off her camera and 35 mm film, and Pat showed us her sealing wax embossers and paper dolls. Are you interested in making art too? Take a look at our Art Tools (we have a spinning wheel too!), this public list of Arts and Craft for Kids, and this public list of Photography for Kids.
Recipes From the Past
Katie showed us different ways to churn your own butter on this week's episode. Are you interested in learning more about all the different ways food used to be made? Then check out this public list of Recipes From the Past for Kids.
Letter Writing
Elle wrote a letter to Toby and Otto at the library and showed us how to address the envelope too. Are you interested in learning more about writing letters? Or maybe you'd like to read stories about friends who send letters back and forth? Then this public list of Kid's Books About Letters, Mail & Pen Pals might be for you!
The 1980s
Amanda showed us the awesomeness of the 1980s, and shared some of her favorite fashion, tv shows, music, toys and more from the decade. If you'd like to relive the glory of the 80s too, then take a peek at this public list of 1980's Stuff for Kids.
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Toby's Pierogi
This week on The Saturday Show Toby and Otto made delicious pierogi, one of Toby's family recipes and a classic Polish dish. Would you like to try making them yourself? Here is Toby's recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Filling: options include sauerkraut, potato, cheese, fruit, or anything else you might like!
Directions:
- Mound flour on a clean kitchen countertop and make a hole in the center. Drop the egg into the hole. Add salt and water and knead until firm. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Put a pot of water on the stove to start boiling. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough thin. Then use a circle cookie cutter to cut circles in the dough.
- Place a small spoonful of your filling a little to one side on each round of dough. Take a little bit of water and put it on the rim of the circle of dough. This will help the dough stick together. Squeeze the edges of the dough together to form the pierogi. Make sure the pierogi is sealed tight!
- Add salt to your pot of boiling water on the stove, then drop the pierogi in. When the pierogi start to float, they are finished (usually around 3-5 minutes). Lift the pierogi out of the water carefully with a perforated spoon.
- The pierogi are ready to eat now, but you can also fry them in butter or oil on the stove.
Food and Kitchen Science
Molly showed us how to make a cool kitchen science experiment: apple volcanoes! Are you interested in more kitchen and food science experiments? Then take a look at this public list.
Kids Cookbooks
This week we loved watching AJ make pizza bagels, Evelyn make milkweed, Katie make avocado dip and Christopher & Kashi make homemade egg pasta noodles. Did this week's episode of The Saturday Show make you excited to learn more about cooking? Check out this list of cookbooks for kids for a wide variety of new recipes to try.
International and Cultural Cuisine Cookbooks for Kids
Looking to branch out a little or learn about other cultures? Check out this list of books for fun international and cultural recipes.
Cookbooks for Kids with Food Restrictions
Are you a kid with food sensitivities or dietary restrictions? Check out this list of books to find recipes that work for you.
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Local Architecture
This week on The Saturday Show Toby told us all about one of his favorite pieces of architecture: the Quo Vadis Entertainment Center in Westland. Christopher and Kashi showed us around Cobblestone Farm and we learned the history of Dicken Elementary right here in Ann Arbor. Did you know you can search for any address or building on our aadl.org website to find out it's history? You can either browse what we have on our Community Collections page or you can type what you're looking for using the search bar at the top of our website (make sure you change the Search term on the left hand side of the screen from "Catalog" to "Community Collections" to see all of the results for your search). You can also look through the Ann Arbor Architecture Archive for more information on local historical architecture.
Architecture Books for Kids
We loved hearing Evelyn read an excerpt from Iggy Peck Architect and when Amanda showed us illustrations from Ann Arbor Now and Then on this week's episode. Are you interested in learning more about architecture? Then check out this public list!
LEGO Contest
Are you more of a LEGO architect? We recently held the 15th Annual LEGO Contest here at AADL and saw amazing entries from our Preschool, Kindergarten-2nd Grade, 3rd-5th Grade, 6th-8th Grade, 9th-12th Grade and Adult participants. We also held the 15th Annual LEGO Contest Awards Show on our AADL.TV Youtube page. Make sure to stayed tuned for next year's contest!
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Folklore
This week on The Saturday Show Laura told us a great folktale called "Mother Hulda", and we learned the ancient Greek explanation for the changing of the seasons, involving Demeter, Persephone and Hades. Are you interested in more folklore? The AADL has a robust collection of folktales and fairy tales, which you can browse through here.
Local Apple Orchards
Christian led us on a tour of a few of his favorite local apple orchards, including Wasem Fruit Farm, Wiard's Orchard and the Dexter Cider Mill. While he was there, he tasted different flavors of delicious donuts! What are some of your favorite places to go during the fall season?
Fall Books for Kids
Are you loving the new autumn weather? Interested in reading more about the season? Then check out this public list of fall/autumn books for kids!
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Ann Arbor History
This week on The Saturday Show Toby & Otto discovered why Ann Arbor was founded where it was. They visited Woodruff's Grove, the Water Hill neighborhood, the Huron River, the Amtrak Station and ended at the University of Michigan. The City of Ypsilanti hosts a short history of Woodruff's Grove on their website. If you'd like to learn more about the Huron River, take a peek at the Huron River Watershed Council's website. A great University of Michigan resource when it comes to history is the Bentley Historical Library, which collects and promotes materials that have to do with the history of the State of Michigan and the University of Michigan.
AADL Archives
Evelyn and Elizabeth gave us a tour of the AADL Archives, where AADL staffers are working to digitize local history. You can browse through the Archives collection here, where you'll find old newspaper articles, photos, papers, and other important artifacts that tell the story of Ann Arbor.
Ann Arbor Parks
Marianne showed us Wooster Park and some of her favorite Westside spots, and Molly gave us a tour of the Mitchell Scarlet Woods. What's your favorite park in Ann Arbor? With over 163 parks to choose from, it can be tough to choose only one! For more information on Ann Arbor's parks, check out the City of Ann Arbor's Parks and Places page.
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Dinosaur Books for Kids
This week on The Saturday Show Toby & Otto acted out the Bone Wars and Nancy explained the basics of paleontology and geology. Are you interested in learning more about dinosaurs and these sciences? Then take a look at this public list of Dinosaur Books for Kids.
Mary Anning
Mary Anning was a British fossil collector and one of the world's first paleontologists, who became known around the world for the fossils she found hidden in the cliffs along the English Channel in the early 1800s. For more information about this amazing female trailblazer, check out this public list.
University of Michigan Museum of Natural History & Mastodons: The Michigan State Fossil
The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History joined us this week to show off their cast models of dinosaur teeth and claws and to discuss the differences between them. We also talked about Michigan's state fossil: mastodons. Did you know the U of M Museum of Natural History hosts the only instance of male and female mastodon skeletons side-by-side, as well as the world's only mastodon trackway? Learn more by visiting the Museum's webpage. Are you interested in learning more about mastodons? Give these two books a try: My Mastodon and Mammoth and Mastodon.
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All Hands Active and Soldering
This week we ventured to All Hands Active, an all-volunteer run non-profit community makerspace and hackerspace located right here in town, where Nate showed us the basics of soldering. All Hands Active hosts classes and workshops, where they share their skills and equipment to help with a wide assortment of processes such as soldering, sewing, laser cutting, software development, 3D printing, CNC routing, app development, carpentry, machining, Arduino and embedded systems programming. To learn more or participate in their online events, check out this link.
Tools Collection at AADL
Did you know that the Ann Arbor District Library loans out amazing tools such as podcasting kits, thermal cameras, metal detectors, art prints, event lighting, light optics kits, cast models of dinosaur fossils, a full sized skeleton, telescopes, microscopes, projectors, binoculars, portable scanners, Finch robots; instruments like ukuleles, guitars, microphones and theremins; art tools such as die cutters, spinning wheels and yarn swift and ball winders; and games such as giant Connect 4, pickleball, mini badminton, tumble towers, dominoes, mega checkers and chess? And that's not even the full list! Check out the full list of available items here, which will begin to circulate again soon!
Thor's Hammer
Allison told us about the origin of the Norse god Thor's magical hammer: Mjolnir! Are you interested in learning more about Thor and other fantastic myths and legends? Take a look at this public list.
Cool Tools
This week on The Saturday Show, Katie showed us her Life Straw and easy threader tool, while Graham showed us how to make our own calipers. Are you interested in learning more about tools? Then give this STEM public list a try!
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Oral History
Toby gave his quick guide to oral history, but do you want to know more?
Check out this link to Storycorps. Since 1993 Storycorps has been recording and preserving oral histories. There are a ton of great histories to listen to -- have your grown up help you pick one out so you can get a good idea of where to go with your oral history -- or just enjoy the stories!
Family Histories
Did you know the AADL's Archives works diligently to preserve what they can of Ann Arbor's history? Check out Old News for awesome photos and newspaper articles. And if your family has been in Ann Arbor a long time the Archives can help you find information about your ancestors. Just email oldnews@aadl.org and tell them who, or what, you're looking for!
Books
AADL has a ton of books about families, all kinds of families! Check out this list.
AADL also has a series of DVD's about families from all over the world. Take a look!
Welcoming Week
Welcoming Week is a chance for us to welcome people to our American Family. Take a look at all they do here.
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Riddles and Brain Teasers
This week on The Saturday Show Amanda shared riddles and brain teasers with us from Beastly Puzzles: a Brain-Boggling Animal Guessing Game and Still More Stories to Solve: Fourteen Folktales from Around the World. Did you guess the correct answers? Are you interested in solving more puzzles and riddles? Then give this public list a try.
Jokes with Otto!
Wasn't Otto's set at the Laugh Trough amazing?! He's a true master of comedy. Are you interested in learning more about comedy and learning some jokes of your own? Give this list of books for kids about jokes and riddles a try!
The Sphinx's Riddle
Did you guess the answer to either of the Sphinx's riddles? If so, make sure you email tss@aadl.org with your answer! And check out this list of Sphinx Books for Kids for more information about the myths and legends surrounding these amazing mythical creatures.
Mercy Watson to the Rescue!
This week Lucy read to us from the popular book Mercy Watson to the Rescue as part of an ongoing segment of The Saturday Show. There are 6 books so far in the series if you'd like to read more, and author Kate DiCamillo has many other great books such as The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie.
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Make a Sunprint!
This week on The Saturday Show Lucy showed us how to make a sunprint. Follow the easy steps below to make your own!
- Use sun-sensitive paper or cyanotype paper.
- Tack or tape down opaque objects. You can use letters, leaves, feathers, coins... whatever you want!
- Take your prints outside and expose them to the sun. Let your paper turn almost white (about 5 minutes).
- Bring your prints back inside and remove your objects from the print.
- Submerge your print in water for 1 minute. Then let dry completely.
Tornado in a Jar
Amanda showed us how to make an amazing tornado in a jar. To make one yourself, you'll need a jar with a tight fitting lid, 4 squirts of dish soap and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. You can make your own with these simple steps:
- Fill your jar about 3/4 full with water.
- Add in 4 squirts of dish soap (less if you are using a small jar).
- Add in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Tighten lid onto jar.
- Hold the jar by the lid and rotate it several times in a circle, in a smooth, steady motion, creating a vortex. Watch a mini tornado form!
- If the vortex isn't strong enough after several spins, you can try adjusting the amount of dish soap and vinegar.
Almanacs & Weather Forecasting
Toby told us all kinds of interesting facts about the history of weather forecasting and almanacs. You can check out the current version of the Old Farmer's Almanac for yourself online at this link.
Weather Books for Kids
We learned so many awesome facts about weather in this episode of The Saturday Show. If you'd like to learn more, check out this public list of weather books for kids.
Draw Breaks & Drawing for Kids
This week Loren shared another fun Draw Break with us when he showed us how to make gravestone rubbings. If you're a kid who loves making art, make sure you check out our Drawing with Kids series of online programming, as well as other arts and crafts programming available on AADL.TV.
Auroras
Allison shared information about her favorite natural phenomenon: auroras! Would you like to see one yourself? Check out the NOAA's Aurora 3-Day Tracker for updated information. There's also more information about aurora borealis available in these 2 books: The Science Behind Wonders of the Sky: Aurora Borealis, Moonbows and St. Elmo's Fire and Northern Lights.
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Episode 13 - The Great Outdoors!
Knots & Knot Tying
This week on The Saturday Show Christopher and Jake showed us how to make milkweed cordage and tie a taught-line hitch. Are you interested in learning how to tie other knots as well? Check out these books: Forty Knots to Know and My First Book of Knots.
Leslie Science & Nature Center
Lannis from the Leslie Science & Nature Center visited us to share some essential items you'll need for an outdoor trip. She also told us about some of the amazing animals you can spot outdoors, such as screech owls, green frogs, bats, wood frogs, fireflies and more! Leslie Science & Nature Center is located here in Ann Arbor and more information is available on their website.
Camping Books for Kids
Check out this public list for books about camping, canoeing, poetry about the great outdoors, adventure songs and tips, campfire recipes, outdoor projects and activities, and more! The list also includes stories about camping featuring your favorite characters such as Daniel Tiger, Alvin Ho, Katie Woo, Splat the Cat, the Boxcar Children, Pete the Cat, Babymouse, Pinkalicious, and Biscuit, among others.
Belle Isle
Toby and Otto visited one of the most special places in Michigan: Belle Isle! Belle Isle is just east of Detroit and is the largest city-owned island park in the United States. The next time you visit Belle Isle, be sure to stop by the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory and Public Gardens, the Belle Isle Aquarium, the Belle Isle Nature Center, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, designated fishing and swimming areas, and acres of forest filled with interesting wildlife. For more information, check out Belle Isle's website.
Central Park
Andy showed us around Central Park in New York City. Andy stopped at some of his favorite spots in Central Park, such as the ravine, tunnels, waterfalls and winding paths. He also shared his favorite activities to take part in while visiting Central Park, such as bird watching, people watching and relaxing away from the hustle and bustle of city life. To find out more, check out Central Park's website.
Comet NEOWISE
Elizabeth shared her experience seeing the Comet NEOWISE! NEOWISE is a long period comet discovered on March 27th, 2020 and it is one of the brightest comets in the Northern Hemisphere since Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. To find out more about NEOWISE, check out this link from NASA exploring how to see Comet NEOWISE.
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Elizabeth also visited Sleeping Bear Dunes and shared beautiful footage of the beachfront before, during and after the sunset. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located just outside of Empire, Michigan and features a 35-mile long stretch of dune formations, beaches, forests and ancient glacial phenomena. For more information about this amazing site, check out this website.
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Farmers
This week we took a visit to Argus Farm Stop and Seeley Farm to learn more about how our food is grown. Farmers are responsible for working with the earth to produce the foods we all enjoy, and Loren went straight to the source to find out more about the work farmers do. For books and information about farmers and farmers markets, check out this public list.
Learning Japanese
Charlie taught us how to say several different words pertaining to heroes in Japanese. Looking for more information about learning the Japanese language? Give this list a try!
Mountain Dulcimers
Betsy showed us her mountain dulcimers this week (including a mountain dulcimer that her brother John made) and she played several cool songs with them. Check out this list for information on how to play mountain dulcimer or to listen to more mountain dulcimer music.
Rescue Organizations and Wildlife Rescue Centers
Colin told us about an exciting owl rescue he and his family performed while on vacation up north. They captured an injured owl and transported it to a nearby wildlife rescue center. There are many rescue/rehabilitation organizations and wildlife rescue centers nearby, including the Howell Nature Center (who Colin contacted to help with the owl), the Bird Center of Washtenaw County, the Friends of Wildlife, Leslie Science and Nature Center, and the Huron Valley Humane Society.
Carburetors
Are you still wondering what a carburetor is too? Give this book a try: it talks about carburetors and other small engines and how they work.
Superhero Books for Kids
Last but not least, are you just looking for cool books about superheroes? We've pulled together some of our favorite superhero books in this public list.
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TSS Mailbag:
Have you been making awesome art at home? Want to show it off?
Send in pictures or videos of your favorite artwork or anything else to tss@aadl.org !
Folk Art & Native Art
We learned this week on The Saturday Show that folk art can be a lot of different things: traditional, cultural, decorative or useful, everyday objects or items saved for special ceremonies, and made by people who learned formally or informally. Many things are considered folk art, including music, dancing, food and more. We saw an example of folk art when Toby showed off an alebrije from Oaxaca, Mexico and told us the story of Mexican artist Pedro Linares's dream and the origin of paper alebrijes. We also learned about Manuel Jimenez Ramirez, a Mexican carver and sculptor who popularized carved alebrijes from Oaxaca.
We also saw an example of native art in this week's episode: totem poles! Totem poles are one of the most recognizable forms of native art and were first created by groups of indigenous people in the Pacific Northwest.
If you would like to learn more about folk art and native art, take a look at this list.
Salvador Dali
Loren taught us all about one of his favorite artists: Salvador Dali. Salvador Dali was a Spanish painter who created strange and unusual paintings in the surrealist style. If you'd like to learn more, check out this book about Dali's life, this book on surrealism in art, or this great video that Loren mentioned in his segment, courtesy of the Dali Museum.
Printmaking with Lavinia and Alma
Lavinia and Alma showed us two different ways to make printed art: one involved pressing items into clay and the other was lino-block carving. You can find out more about Lavinia and her art by visiting her website. AADL often holds classes on printmaking. When the library is able to offer public events again, keep an eye out for workshops on printmaking as well as the Ann Arbor Wayzgoose & Printing Festival.
Art Books for Kids
Did you enjoy the demonstrations of leaf painting and the color wheel? Are you looking to learn more about art or discover new ways to make art? If so, give this public list a try.
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TSS Mailbag:
Have you been cooking a lot at home? Want to show off what you've been making? Or maybe you've invented a yummy new food creation?
Send in pictures or videos of your favorite recipe, new food creation or anything else to tss@aadl.org !
Katie's Pickled Red Onions Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized red onion
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional- bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic cloves
Directions:
- Combine everything in a jar and let sit on the counter 1 hour or in the fridge overnight. If using, remove bay leaves before eating.
- Use as a garnish on pulled pork, ribs, bbq chicken, and more!
Amanda's Chickpea "Tuna" Mash Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 15-oz. can chickpeas
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2-3 tablespoon mayo
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dulse
- a dash of salt
- a dash of pepper
Tips:
- You can use chickpea mash in sandwiches, dip crackers in it, or place it over a bed of kale or lettuce as a salad. It's also really good in a "tuna" melt or cooked grilled-cheese style on the stove-top.
- You can add more or less of any ingredient to make it to your liking.
- You can omit the celery and onion and add in any other crunchy veggies, such as green pepper or carrots.
Directions:
- Drain the can of chickpeas.
- Use a food processor to pulse the chickpeas to small bits. You still want it chunky, so don't blend too much. If you don't want to use a food processor, you can mash the chickpeas by hand with a fork, potato masher, or the back of a wooden spoon.
- Place the mashed chickpeas into a large bowl.
- Add mayo, and combine well with a spoon.
- Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, dulse, and mix together.
- Add in the chopped onion, celery or other veggies, and stir it all up!
Food Gatherers
Not everyone in our community has enough to eat each day. Food Gatherers has been helping feed families and fight hunger since 1988.
Interested in helping out? Kids can help by visiting this page. We can also help by hosting food drives, volunteering, advocating, or donating food, funds or other necessary items to Food Gatherers.
Are you (or someone you know) in need of food? Click here for a list of food pantries, distributions, summer food service, free meals and more. You can also sign up for food benefits here.
Kids Cookbooks
Did this week's episode of The Saturday Show make you excited to learn more about cooking? Check out this list of cookbooks for kids for a wide variety of new recipes.
International and Cultural Cuisine Cookbooks for Kids
Looking to branch out a little or learn about other cultures? Check out this list of books for fun international and cultural recipes.
Cookbooks for Kids with Food Restrictions
Are you a kid with food sensitivities or dietary restrictions? Check out this list of books to find recipes that work for you!
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Alina Celeste & Mi Amigo Hamlet:
Alina Celeste and Mi Amigo Hamlet shared amazingly fun and quirky Latin-inspired bilingual music with us on this week's episode of The Saturday Show, along with their furry friend Pedro. To find out more about this awesome duo, check out Alina Celeste's Youtube page and website and Mi Amigo Hamlet's Youtube page and website. The two also work together on the Being Bilingual Rocks Foundation.
Betsy Beckerman:
Betsy Beckerman has delighted our storytime audiences for years at AADL with her magical banjo playing, and in this week's episode she showed off her cool concertina. She's currently teaching easy and fun ukulele lessons on AADL.TV, which you can find here, here, here and here!
Protest Songs:
Mariah read an excerpt from Rad American Women from A to Z, which featured the inspirational folk musician and civil rights activist Odetta.
Are you interested in learning more about protest music?
A few library materials that may be of interest appear on this list.
This NPR article explores the story of Woody Guthrie's song "The Land Is Your Land", one of America's most famous folk songs.
Black American traditional songs were often used during the Civil Rights Movement to help inspire and organize protesters. Watch the Freedom Singers (consisting of legendary civil rights activists Rutha Harris, Charles Neblett, Bettie Mae Fikes, and Cordell Reagon) perform "We Are Soldiers in the Army", and Pete Seeger sing "We Shall Overcome".
Smithsonian Folkways has a great series of hour-long podcasts, with episodes 13, 14 and 15 dedicated to exploring the Labor, Civil Rights and Women's Movements. This podcast is best suited to older audiences due to the subject matter.
Jamall Bufford:
This week we were joined by rapper Jamall Bufford (also known as Buff1), who played Jamall the T. Rex! Three of his albums and collaborations are available to listen to and download on the Ann Arbor Music and Performance Server.
Music Books & Videos:
Did this week's episode of The Saturday Show make you excited to learn more about music? For more books and videos about music and famous musicians, check out this list!
Gemily Family Concert on AADL.TV:
Fun family band Gemily (formerly Gemini) consists of twin brothers Laz and San Slomovits, and San's daughter Emily. The trio mix excitement, warmth and fantastic musicianship together to create interactive folk-inspired music that the entire family will enjoy. They recently played a full concert for us, available on AADL.TV here. We also have many of their CDs available at the library. To find out more, check out this list!
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Allison's Elephant Toothpaste:
You will need:
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- Adult assistance
- A clean 16 oz plastic water bottle or something similar
- 1/2 cup 20-volume hydrogen peroxide (available at hair care and beauty stores... you can also use regular 3% hydrogen peroxide but the reaction will be smaller)
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- A few drops liquid dish soap
- 10 drops food coloring (any color)
- Small cup for water
Instructions:
- Put on your goggles, gloves and make sure you have adult assistance.
- Have an adult pour 1/2 cup 20-volume hydrogen peroxide into your 16 oz plastic water bottle.
- Add 10 drops of food coloring to your plastic water bottle.
- Add a few drops of liquid dish soap.
- Have an adult give your plastic water bottle a little swirl, making sure to keep it away from your face and avoiding splashing or spilling.
- In a separate small cup, combine 3 tablespoons warm water (not hot!) with 1 tablespoon dry active yeast. Stir well until it's the consistency of melted ice cream.
- When you are ready for the reaction to begin, pour the yeast/water solution into the plastic water bottle. Once the bubbling has begun, you can touch the foam with gloved hands -- it will be warm to the touch!
- When you're ready to clean up you can use a sponge and any extra liquid can be poured down the sink.
Check out these awesome books by Dave Nelson, they're a surefire way to inspire you to make something awesome! Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred and Junkyard Jam Band
Here's a selection of kids books about the Raspberry Pi.
This is a great list of books about inventions, inventors, and inventing things!
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Here is the link to Katie's full video on growing sprouts: Click here!
Buzzing to learn more about bees? Alex did a great job showing us the daily life of bees and the library has a ton of really cool books about them. Click here to see what the library's got!
While showing us her garden Elizabeth mentioned she's been regrowing green onions by planting the rooted ends. The picture below shows the cut end of a green onion. If you plant it about halfway in the ground with the root end in the soil you can watch the green onion regrow itself!
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Be sure to visit play.aadl.org to sign up and learn how to play the 2020 Summer Game!
Some of the books featured in today's episode:
Otto's reading journey took him to many amazing places, after all, a book, a book, a book, can take you anywhere. Follow the links below for books about each of the places Otto visited:
Lafayette Square, Washington D.C. - Bonus!: Find books about civil rights movements past and present here!
Paul Revere's House, Boston, MA
Sierra Nevada mountains, California
Have fun reading this Summer!
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NASA's Crafts for Kids and Families
Otto mentioned the Mars Rover Curiosity. Learn more here!
Commander Allison mentioned NASA's Crew Dragon launch. Learn about the successful docking with the International Space Station here.
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This link has lots of information on Michigan's indigenous peoples: Native Languages
Learn how to say greet someone in Ojibwe, Potawatomi and more! Hello!
Native American History, Culture, and Art, courtesy of Michigan.org (If you need help with the Summer Game riddle, check here)
Here's an awesome writeup of The Irish Hills' Prehistoric Forest with some super cool pictures.
Check out all the Michigan-related downloadable kids books in AADL's collection here!
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Heidi's Sidewalk Paint (Episode 1 - Friends)
Mix equal parts corn starch and water.
For the demonstration, Heidi used:
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Corn Starch
For multiple colors you can pour your mixture into muffin tins.
Add in a couple drops of food coloring, or watercolor paint (the kind that comes in tubes).
Mix thoroughly and enjoy painting!
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Elizabeth's Super Easy Super Delicious Nachos! (Episode 1 - Friends)
Step 1: Wash your hands and get a clean plate.
Step 2: Spread chips in an even layer on a plate.
Step 3: Sprinkle shredded cheese over chips.
Step 4: Open and drain a can of black beans, then spread beans on top of chips and cheese.
Step 5: Add any other toppings you'd like! Ideas include: green onion, red onion, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, radishes, avocado... be imaginative!
Step 6: Microwave the plate until the cheese is melted.
Have an adult help you cut anything that needs to be cut, like radishes, onion or peppers. Yum!